Dear Preston,
Yesterday you wrote about giving credit where credit is due, and it hit a nerve with me. I’m a florist in California, and I often work with this one planner. She’s given me a lot of work over the years. When we do a job together, she will sometimes suggest what she thinks the job should look like but most of the creativity is mine. Yet, she promotes herself as a designer as well as a planner. She often takes credit for jobs we’ve done together, giving me no credit. Should I confront her?
Sincerely, A Disgruntled Floral Designer
Dear DFD,
There’s always a grey area when planners and designers work together, and one of the things that makes a great planner is the ability to conceptualize an event. But that ability does not make a planner a designer. A planner’s job is to plan and make suggestions, and a designer’s job is to design. That’s it.
It sounds to me like you need to sit down with this planner and have a long, serious talk.
But, please, remember her loyalty. You said yourself that she has given you lots of work over the years. She may find it easier to secure new clients when she stretches the truth a bit. It’s unfortunate and unfair, but I see it happen a lot. Clients don’t understand who’s responsible for what, and they like the idea of a planner who’s going to take care of everything.
But, regardless of her motives, you need to talk to her. You both have to feel comfortable with your working relationship and the way in which you present yourselves to clients. Dear Readers, what do you think? Should DFD keep quiet and continue accepting the jobs this planner brings her? Or, should she ruffle some feathers and speak up? Please share your opinion in the comments.
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
Alejandra
November 1, 2011
I believe that this is the truth: What you wrote “She may find it easier to secure new clients when she stretches the truth a bit. It’s unfortunate and unfair, but I see it happen a lot. Clients don’t understand who’s responsible for what, and they like the idea of a planner who’s going to take care of everything.” So the designer must think about it.
Rosalba (Fiorire)
November 1, 2011
I find it dishonest-if someone else is coming up with ideas and they are doing the work then they need the credit. Nothing has changed and the planner should clarify that she/he is working closely with this florist to see the job to completion, the customer need not worry about added duties to their list. I would want the ability to call my work my own and not have someone else claim it as theirs.
It’s very hard to come in so late in the game and change the rules but if you are positive and have solutions that work for both then everyone should understand that giving fair recognition to all is a win win.
Melanie
November 1, 2011
I work with a great fantastic flower designer and I get her to talk directly to clients to get a better picture of what they want and then we discuss it to get the design with logistics together. BUT always telling that she is part of the company and not her company. It is a bit difficult here as planners, cause if we give out our vendors information then we might get the direct connection. it’s tricky.
That is why I got her a special company email so if she needs to talk to clients, she can do it directly but trough our company email.
It is so true what you say Preston about wedding planners to secure the client.
And dear DFD, I think you should talk to the planner, but taking definitely in consideration that she has given you a lot of work. Think about suggestions to give her to make a better collaboration without you feeling disgruntled. I’m sure if you take the anger away, you will have a clearer vision and will be able to work things out for the best, for the both of you!
Good luck!
have a great day all!
Martha Andrews
November 1, 2011
This is such a frustrating situation, especially when the wedding is published and I have suppied most of the decor. But I am old school. The planner has hired us, or sent the bride our way. In the end the wedding is her baby, so she gets the credit. It’s like being a housing contractor, the mason may have made the house and garden look amazing with his stone work, but in the end it’s the contractors name that goes on the house. I think we need to respect that.
To make myself feel better, I just make sure I get weddings without planners published so people can see what I do.
Necoh
November 1, 2011
Dishonest is dishonest whether they “bring you clients” or not. Its unethical and unfair. If a planner stole my work as theirs I wouldn’t want to work with them regardless. Nor would I want a planner saying I work for them when I have my own company. I’ve worked hard to make a name for myself, not some planner.
Beth Hohensee AIFD
November 1, 2011
I have a similar situation with a planner. We worked this out by using the “team” concept. I meet with her clients directly, and I am part of the planner’s vetted team which she put together and coordinates. Builds client confidence, as the team works together frequently, and shares a common client satisfaction goal. The planner, (whose standards are extremely high), has chosen those vendors whom she feels are the best at what they do, and who can produce an event that meets those high standards.
MJB
November 1, 2011
It’s a wedding.The only thing the bride cares about is that it looks good. If you open your mouth you’re going to lose money/future jobs. You’re being paid to help create this girl’s dream, not to promote yourself. Does the bride seriously think the wedding planner is the one arranging the flowers? Of course not. She also doesn’t think the planner made the hors d’ouevres.
Marlan
November 1, 2011
ruffle some feathers. i think if you are going to work with someone then you should have a mutual understanding, cause they need your service just as much as you need their.
Stacy Parker
November 1, 2011
Preston, before I make my comment, let me offer the disclaimer that I consider you with the highest regard. You, in my opinion, are the benchmark for our industry.
I do not agree that the planner should take all of the credit. She should say it was a joint effort or collaboration and mention the florist.
I just wanted to point out that not all florists are event designers and not all event designers are florists. The event designer is the person who designs the event. Not necessarily the person who facilitates the design. Florists do usually have a larger part in the facilitation than the other vendors, but some florists simply take an order and fill it offering nothing to the overall design of an event.
Flowers are one of the most important aspects of a beautiful, successful design, however, there are many other elements that go into an event that some florists know nothing about and have no hand in. Lighting, linens, furniture, etc.
I am a planner and I am a designer. I design the overall event, pulling from various resources to realize the design. Granted, I don’t tell the florist exactly where to place each flower, nor do I tell the furniture designer where to place a nailhead. Technically each vendor designs their contribution but to my belief, it is the person who designs the overall event who gets the title “designer”.
Again, not to take any credit from my dear florists whatsoever! I designed and arranged flowers for a short period of time and realized quickly it is not for me. I cherish a good floral designer. But in the regions in which I’ve planned, they are usually just that, the *floral* designer.
Even when I do design an entire event (floral designs and all), I still humbly give credit to the incredibly talented and hard working vendors who have helped make it happen. Planners are just a vision without them!
Maureen Croft
November 1, 2011
I have found that if I consider it my job to make others (venue, wedding planners, brides etc) look good, they love to work with me and bring me clients. If I focus too much on self promotion or making myself look good, my spirit gets all “out of whack” and the creative flow just stops. Maybe I’m a bit codependant, but I’m happy and having fun!
Gloria Buckman Yankson
November 1, 2011
My two pence: As a small team of Planners & Designers, we consistently have to rope in a lot of vendors to create a successful and beautiful event / wedding. We pride ourselves in using the best there is and right from the beginning, we sign an Associate Agreement with all of our vetted vendors. In this agreement we welcome each person individually to our Team and make it clear that we’re creating each event as a team. Therefore, whenever we work on any particular event, we work together as a team. Even our Photographers & Videographers take part in the design process to advice on aesthetics sometimes. Should any of our pictures be published, we get full credit as a TEAM under the company name and no single person takes credit. In my opinion, if anyone should take credit, it really should be the in-house Lead Designer who creates the entire look of the event from plain canvas to floor plans to colour coordination to choice of furniture to linens to what flowers even fit the theme and suffers many sleepless nights in the process. However, no one is singled out to take credit. It’s a win win situation for everyone involved really and we’re all happy with this arrangement. As we know each other well now, we’ve over time built a very special bond that now feels like family. We do team nights out, we share the good times and we share the sweat. I suppose it’s a bit late for this in this scenario but my mantra has always been that the base of any successful business is its people. If all Planners develop a personal bond with their vendors and embrace teamwork, they might avoid this who did what scenario.
“There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there.” #Indira Gandhi
Vanessa Alce (I Love My Planner)
November 2, 2011
Definitely talk to the planner. As a planner myself, it’s my job to present reputable vendors to my clients that will all help create their vision of their event. There are many pieces to the puzzle and it would not be fair to be the only one to take the credit.
Dianna Shitanishi
November 6, 2011
As a professional event planner that also does conceptual event design, I am often collaborating with our florists to create the “look and feel” for our clients’ event or come to the table with a specific concept already in mind. Our vendors know that they are selected based on who is the best fit for our client’s style and budget and we always give credit where credit is due. They know that may not always place their name in each and every post that we have (just due to time constraints) but I can remember who did the flowers for each and every event that I did and share that information with clients.